Washing-machine.



W. S. GUINTER.

* WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 26, 1913.

1,1 884, Patented Feb. 9, 1915;

THE NORRIS PETERS C0" PHOmLlTHO. WASHINGTON, D4 C.

pnrrnn snares nairnnr j @hhfQE.

WILLIAM S. GUIN'IER, OF RQCKFOB-D, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOBJ, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 0F ONE-FOURTH TO WILLIAM S. GUINTER, ONE-FOURTH TO SPURGEON E. GUINTER, ONE-FOURTH. TO CHARLES S. THOMAS, AND ONE-FOURTH TO JAMES H. THOMAS, ALL

015 E0 CKFORD, ILLINOIS.

Application filed December 26, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. GUINTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVashing- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to washing machines of the pounder type.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved method for operating the pounder, wherein the pounder having been raised from the clothes its position relative thereto is automatically changed to operate upon new surface of the clothes;

and a further object is to provide an improved construction of pounder and means for operating same.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved washing machine. Fig. 2 is a view looking at the operating side of the machine, the tub being in section and the pounder and operating means in elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the top portion of the washing machine. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional View as taken on the line li of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on theline 55 of Fig. 2, looking at the face of the pounder. Figs. 6,7 t

and 8 are plan sectional views taken respectively, on the lines 6+6, 7-7 and 8-8 of Fig. 4.

My invention relates to the pounder and means for operating same.

The tub 9 and supports 10 may be of a suitable construction, and for adaptability of my improvements to thetub a top or cover 11 is hinged to a top section 12. Two upright standards 13 are bolted to the top of the cover 11, spaced on opposite sides of an aperture 14; through said cover at a centrally disposed point thereof, and each standard is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 15 therethrough, the slots extending crosswise through the standards and each slot has central longitudinal depressions forming a bore 16. A top-bar 17 surmounts and connects fixedly the top portions of said standards and has formed therethrough centrally between its ends a bearing 18 the axis of which is coincident with that of'aperture 14 in the cover. An

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 868,790.

ture 14 and has a reduced bearing 20; and

a plate 21 fixed to the top of cross-bar 17, covering the opening of bearing 18 has a stub-bearing 22 and a clutch face 23 depending into said opening. A sleeve 24 is mounted with its ends in bearings 18 and 19, its upper end having a clutch face adapted to engage the stationary clutch face '23, and a spiral spring 25 located beneath the lower end of said sleeve'holds the sleeve yieldingly in a raised position with its clutch end engaged with said fixed clutch face. The sleeve has formed therein two slotted ways 96 which are diametrically oppositely disposed and extend parallel with the sleeve axis from a point adjacent the lower end of the sleeve to a point midway the length thereof from whence each slotted way leads in a spiral course around a portion of the sleeve as at 27. A shaft 28 is mounted rotatably and slidably lengthwise within the sleeve 24 and carries a cross-pin Q9 adjacent its upper end, which pin has its opposite ends located in the slotted ways of the sleeve, the ends extending beyond the sleeve. With the shaft in its raised position in the sleeve the lower end thereof depends below the cover 11 and has fastened fixedly thereto a horizontally and triangularly shaped support 30 to each angle corner of which is connected at cone-shaped agitator 31 at their apex ends. These agitators are of a sheet-metal material, have their open end faced downward and have spaced openings 32 through their sides preferably at their upper portions. A similarly shaped agitator 31 is attached to the lower end of shaft 28.

The above construction, shaft 28, support 30 and agitators 30 and 31 form a unitary membera pounderand the agitators are preferably few in number, located with their peripheries close together and are of relatively large diameter. A cross-head 83 is mounted slidable vertically in the slottedways 15 of the standards, has an apertured center 34 through which sleeve 24: extends, and has an annular recess 35 from said aperture in which the extended ends of the cross-pin 29 are rotatable; springs 36 located in the standard bores 16 hold the cross-head yieldingly in an elevated position, as shown in Fig. 4:. Manually opand spiral erated means are provided for reciprocating vertically the cross-head and comprise, two levers 37 pivoted at a common end at 38 to the cover 11, the levers being each connected with the cross head by the ends of said crosshead working in elongated slots 39 intermediate the lever ends, and free ends of the levers are connected by a handle 40 and a brace 41.

The operation of the pounder is as follows: Upon downward movement of the levers by operation of the handle 40 the cross head 33 will be correspondingly moved downward against the action of springs 36 and in such movement will carry the shaft 28 therewith, through the cross-pin 29 con nection. In downward movement of the cross-pin it will ride against the face 42 of the sleeve opening and merely rotate the sleeve idly, the sleeve moving in a back-rotation relative to its clutch face or the shaft may be rotated by face 42 if there is no resistance to the pounder, and when said crosspin enters ways 26 it will move downward free from rotary movement. Upon upward movement of the levers and cross-head the shaft 28 will be raised free from rotation until the crosspin rides upon faces 43, whereupon the shaft 28 will be rotated in the direction of the spiral incline of said faces 43 because of the sleeve being held from rotation by the clutch faces 23, the distance of this rotation being variable, a dotted position in Fig. 5 illustrating such movement. Assuming the tub to contain clothes and proper washing material to a level about half the tub depth, and considering the above movement of the pounder, it will be seen that upon the down stroke of the pounder it strikes and depresses the clothes in a truly vertical movement not mechanically movable in a rotary manner but subject to being movable reverse from the clutch faces, and upon raising the pounder it will move in a vertical path until the agitators are withdrawn from the clothes, whereupon the pounder will be given a rotary movement caused by the spiral faces 43, as above described, for the purpose of shifting the position of the agitators to allow the succeeding pounding stroke to be applied at a different relation to the clothes.

When the agitators or suction cones are pressed down upon the clothes the water that is located in the inclosure of the cones passes out through openings 32, thus allowing the clothes to bulge up into the cone pockets creating a kneading application to the clothes-and when the cones are raised the suction thereof will draw the clothes upward until the cones in their upward movement reach the water level, when the air will enter openings-'32 and break the suction hold of the cones upon the clothes, thus causing automatic action of the cones,

I claim as my invention:

1. In a washing machine, the combination with a sleeve and a pounder shaft rotatable and slidable lengthwise therein, a cam-slot through the sleeve for guiding rotary movement of the shaft, a lateral extension from the shaft, located in said cam-slot, a member mounted slidable lengthwise on the sleeve and being in engagement with said lateral extension, and means for reciprocating said member along said sleeve.

2. In a washing machine, the combination with a sleeve and a pounder shaft rotatable and slidable lengthwise therein, a cam-slot through the sleeve for imparting rotary movement to the shaft, a member guided by the cam-slot and being associated with the shaft, and a member mounted slidable lengthwise upon the sleeve and being in con nection with the shaft.

3. In a washing machine, the combination of a closed receptacle, a pair of spaced vertical standards located at the top of the receptacle, a vertical pounder shaft interposed between the spaced standards and mounted rotatable and reciprocable axially, a cross-head provided with an aperture through which said shaft extends, and an annular groove opening into said aperture, means operative between the cross-head and pounder shaft comprising a member connecting the shaft with said annular groove, and cam means extending annularly to the shaft-axis for guiding said member whereby the shaft is moved axially and rotatably by vertical reciprocation of the cross-head,

a pair of levers pivotally mounted on horizontal axes at one side of said standards, each lever having an elongated slot therein, and means at each end of said cross-head engaging said slots whereby upon swinging said levers vertically the cross-head will be reciprocated vertically through the loose connections with said levers.

4. In a washing machine, the combination of a rotatably mounted sleeve, a pounder shaft rotatable and reciprocable axially within said sleeve, said sleeve having 'a longitudinally and spirally extending cam-way, a member slidable longitudinally upon the sleeve, means associating the pounder shaft with said cam-way and with said member whereby upon movement of said member longitudinally the pounder shaft will be moved axially and rotatably, and means for reciprocating said member longitudinally of the sleeve.

5. In a washing machine, the combination of a rotatably mounted sleeve, a pounder shaft rotatable and reciprocable axially within said sleeve, said sleeve having a cam-way comprising a longitudinally and spirally extending portion, a member slidable longitudinally upon the sleeve, means associating the pounder shaft with said cam-way and with said member whereby upon movement of said member longitudinally the pounder shaft will be moved axially and rotatably, and means for lock ing the sleeve from rotation in one direction but permitting it to rotate in the opposite direction whereby the cam-way of said sleeve will be inoperative during reciprocation of said member in one direction but operative in the reverse reciprocation to effect rotary movement of the pounder shaft only by the spiral portion of the cam-way.

6. In a washing machine, the combination of a sleeve member movable rotatably and axially and having a clutch-face at one end thereof, a fixed clutch-face with which said sleeve clutch-face is engageable, means for yieldingly holding the sleeve clutch-face in said engagement, a pounder shaft rotatably and axially movable within said sleeve member, the sleeve member provided with a cam-face a portion of which extends parallel and a portion angular' to the pounder shaft axis, means for guiding the pounder shaft by said cam-face, and means for moving the pounder shaft axially in reciprocatory movement whereby the angular portion of said cam-face will be rendered operative and inoperative upon alternate reciprocation of the pounder shaft through the action of the said clutch control of the rotary movement of the sleeve member, thereby to effect rotary movement of the pounder shaft when the said cam-face is rendered operative.

7 In a washing machine, the combination of a sleeve member movable rotatably and axially, a pounder shaft movable rotatably and axially within said sleeve member, a spirally disposed cam-face and a longitudinally disposed cam-face on said sleeve member, means for guiding the pounder shaft by said cam-faces, means for reciprocating the pounder shaft, clutch means for locking the sleeve member from rotary movement in one direction upon axial movement of the pounder shaft in one direction when guided by said spiral cam-face, and being so constructed that the sleeve member is movable axially to become disengaged therefrom, thereby permitting the sleeve member to be moved rotatably When the pounder shaft is moved axially in the opposite direction.

8. In a washing machine, the combination of a pounder shaft mounted to move axially and rotatably, means located in proximity to the pounder shaft provided with a camway extending angularly to the shaft axis, a cross-head mounted to reciprocate parallel with the shaft axis, means connecting the cross-head with the pounder shaft and the shaft with said cam-way, and means for reciprocating the cross-head whereby the pounder shaft will be moved axially by the cross-head and rotatably by the cam-way.

9. In a washing machine, the combination of a pounder shaft mounted to move axially and rotatably and provided with laterally extending means, means located in proximity with the pounder shaft and provided with a cam-way extending angularly to the shaft axis, a cross-head provided with an annular groove'co-axial with the shaft axis, the laterally extending means of the shaft located in said cam-way and in said annular groove, and means for reciprocating the cross-head lengthwise of the shaft whereby the pounder shaft will be moved axially and rotatably.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM S. GUINTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

